Saturday morning 7 am
The finish line is being constructed next to the Lenox Hotel . . . the fog is pretty thick and covers the skyscrapers around downtown Boston. It is as if a huge cloud has decided to join us. Runners come by the finish line and photograph themselves. Besides a few runners, I see a few early birds on my walk. This is the busiest day of the Boston Marathon week: an interview with Bob Kennedy, Champions' Breakfast, Five Major marathons press conference, Running Network Race Directors' reception, PUMA cocktail party, Mayors' Reception and finally, another party at the end of the night . . . someone has to do it!

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Bob Kennedy, one of the most respected American distance runners of his era, retired last year after a 20-year career that went from high school to college to being one of the few Americans of his elite era, to challenge the world's best.

Bob and his business partner, Ashley Johnson, have built three running stores in Indiana. Taking their competitive lessons from sport and moving it to the business arena, with much success. He has just been hired by PUMA to help involve them in performance running and also help limit their missteps in dealing with performance footwear companies, notably PUMA.

This is a particularly volatile time in performance running store circles, as the stores have started an association, and the local running stores are looking to find ways to protect their interest.

Bob and I spend an hour on an interview, where he really reviews his career, his lessons learned and while I have known him for 20 years, like most of the athletes that I admire, I find Bob particularly introspective.

My interview process is fairly open ended. I do not follow the Brian Lenton school of interviews (interviewee and interviewer drink six pack of adult beverage, and the conversation goes on till being kicked out of establishment.), there are prepared questions and those are used as a starting point.

Bob spoke of one of the most undervalued races of all times for American was the ninth place in 1994 World XC by Todd Williams (Bob was 14th there). "I would try and catch [Todd], but he just stayed there . . . each lap I would see him about 150 meters ahead, and I would say, I am going to get him, no, I am going to quit." This bit of repartee was during an exchange on the IAAF moving the world cross back to 12k distances. Entire interview will be coming up later this week . . .

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For me, one of the highlights of the weekend is the Champion's Breakfast. Tom Grilk, President of the BAA may be the most poised and professional announcer for a running event---period. His care and thoughtfulness in introducing the top athletes in the field, his knowledge and fondness of Japanese culture, language is one of the highlights of the media event.

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Coach Squires
In 1979, 84 marathoners broke 2.20, and Bill Rodgers would win his fourth marathon title in a very tough race. That year, four of the top ten were locals, all GBTC members, coached by Bill Squires. Bill Rodgers, Randy Thomas, Bobby Hodge and Dick Mahony were local boys done good. This was as revolutionary as in the early 1960s when Arthur Lydiard, a New Zealand milkman, trained some local boys to Olympic medals from 800 meters to the marathon.

Squires is a character if there ever was or is. He started as a junior high teacher and his conversations are still punctuated with the words," wacko, wow." Grey Meyer, a GBTC graduate, who won in 1983, suggested to me that Coach Squires might need a translator.

Squires training was a lesson out of Zen Buddhist lesson plan. There is complexity in what looks to be a simple program. There is beauty in what appears to be a simple program. Consider the simplicity. Consider the morning run. One step at a time, no more . . . Run 120 to 140 miles a week. On Tuesdays, run four times 1 1/2 miles, or six times a mile. Run twice a day, focusing on being relaxed, and keeping the workouts from being boring but not too competitive. Laugh at Meyer's jokes, try and understand just what the hell commentary Coach is making at workout that night . . .

There is art and science in coaching, and Squires is the mad hatter of distance coaching. His athletes and former athletes love him, admire him and take his lessons into their daily life. His absolute knowledge, but also his absolute confidence in the direction, focus and final result is the alchemy missing today except but for a few . . .

One of the greatest priviledges I ever had was staying with Coach Squires, as hundreds of runners have done. He gave me a workout schedule, on the back of a letter. The schedule shows 20 miles on Sundays, quality on Tuesdays, some fast runs, and lots of scribbles, stick people and comments. From this, the runner would, if he or she had paid attention, find a guide to becoming the best athlete that they could.

To this day, serious students of the sport will ask where are the good old days? The lessons that Squires still has to impart are used by a new generation of coaches-work hard, work smart, keep the competitive juices focused on race day and have fun. Sounds simple? It is terribly difficult to follow and do. Note that the guys who did so well in 1979 were at the pinnacle.

It was not money that ruined the sport. It was forgetting what was the focus, what was the goal, and what was the quality of the moment. For one to have meaning out of 140 miles a week, and hard long intervals, the work needed to make a dent in the world marathon scene, one has to love the daily hour in the morning and two hours in evening, and one needs someone, adviser, coach and a band of merry pranksters to join on training runs--that is the secret. Simple, yet complex, hard to replicate, but a few are listening. Brooks Hansens', Mammouth, Monterrey, Minnesota, and the few outposts that I failed to mention, where joking and interplay interrupts the warmup on the local dirt track where interval night is about to happen.

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Win or Die . . .

Consider this: the world had just finished a world war, in Europe there were over 60 million refugees trying to get home all over a devastated Europe. In 1946, Greece, which had been the focal point of a terribly bloody part of the war, was thrown into a civil war, and besides starvation, it was questionable whether the country of Greece would survive. The President of the United States, Harry Truman faced with a country tired of war, and also seeing a world where countries all over eastern Europe were falling to communist governments, enacts the Marshall Plan, in particular response to Greece and their civil war.

Stylianos Kyriakides (from Greece) a runner before the war, was so emaciated when he came to Boston to run the marathon. The BAA was so concerned about his health that they were not going to let him run, but Kyriades had a goal----he wanted to raise $250,000 to help his starving countrymen. Kyriades did compete and ran well enough to defeat the late Johnny Kelly to win the 1946 title. This is what is described as a purpose, and a goal. The race must have been horrific for Kyriakides, but he persevered and the resulting press did show the pain and suffering that his countrymen and women were facing.

Dimitiri Kyiakides, the son of Kyriakides, came to the Champions' Breakfast and showed the poise and pride of his late father, who had won the race sixty years before. A statue of his father had been dedicated earlier in the week, at the one mile mark of the famous marathon course, where his father, sixty years before, made history and added to the lore of the Boston marathon.

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Jack Fultz, a Georgetown student, had just gotten out of the Coast Guard, and was running well when he ran the 1976 BAA marathon. The race is called now, the race for the hoses, and Jack Fultz braved the terrible heat and humidity, and in his fourth attempt, won the Boston marathon in 1976 in a very heat affected 2.22. A few years later, Jack ran a fine 2.11.04.

A bit of trivia. Jack is also the only person who has been official first and last in the Boston marathon. His last place was done running with Race Director, Dave McGillivray, who runs Boston after all the rest are done, showing up about 10 p.m. Jack ran with Dave one year and let Dave finish, and then finished behind him, hence, the official last finisher of the Boston marathon that year!

Jack Fultz is self-depricating, like many Boston champions. The marathon win did change his life, but for many years, he lived a life of anonymity. A man of charm and a man with a good heart, Fultz, like the champions before him and after learned the lesson that was whispered into the ears of all ancient Olympic champions..."fame is fleeting..." and they find ways to give back to their community, they find ways to complete the circle.

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Moses Tanui, the winner in 1996, 1998 said: "Boston changed my life. In 1995, I was second, in 1996, I won. I would like to bring some of the top athletes back to this race because I love athletics. "

"I am excited to be here, Boston people are friendly, because after ten years, I did not think that I would be here again in 1996, 1998." Moses will throw out the first pitch on Sunday. " This is my best sport, let me discover and see how I can do (throwing a baseball)."

Moses was a fine cross country and track runner and moved to the marathon with uncommon success. Now his goal is to develop a new generation of runners who will win Boston and take the world stage. He will be successful, as you can see the drive and generosity in his eyes. You can also see the competitiveness.

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Jean Driscoll, eight time winner of Boston marathon. That is the record here. "Every victory here at Boston was euphoric. My first win in 1990, I thought my teammate would win, but I passed my competitor on the hills. In 1997, I came back and won my eighth title. I am now doing development work for my university. I have two Olympic medals and five para world championship medals.

****** Reflective glory in the height of the running boom, in the late seventies, Rick and Dick Hoyt would be seen on the roads and especially the roads of Boston. Rick was confined to a wheelchair, his body his own prison. His father, Dick pushed him through road race after road race, but Boston is special. Rick ran the marathon with his father, Dick, pushing him over the course. Their fastest time, I believe was 2.45. This racing is a visual testament to the love between a father and a son.

Running their twenty-fifth time at Boston. Dick had a heart attack in 2003 and missed the race, and now, they are ready to compete the twenty fifth Boston. Again, part of the lore of the race.

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Five Major Marathons had a press conference as well. BAA Boston, The LaSalle Bank Chicago, Flora London, real Berlin, ING New York City have joined together to develop a world series of marathoning, where the top male and female will be crowed the world's best, every 18 months or so.

With all the nay saying, Pat Lynch of John Hancock was able to get the footwear companies to agree to vests that are easy to identify for the elite runners, in all five marathons. This will be tried out in Boston and London. A huge move, a move in the sport to cooperate.

A great first step, as the sport continues to evolve...

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Running Network had their race directors reception this year, and it is the place where our publishers get a couple of hours at Anthony's Pier 4 to look at the harbor, have a beverage some nice sea food and talk to the race directors. Their only challenge is to have to listen to me for three minutes thanking them, the BAA, Ashworth Medals, New England Runner and the RN for sponsoring. It is the shortest speech I have ever done in my life and I find a beverage . . .

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After the mayor's reception, Global Athletics, under the wise eye of Mark Wetmore hosts a small gathering where it is catch up time with some of the friends one sees once a year. Going into the wee hours, it is the time where this writer gets to chat with mentors, friends, and colleagues, and the night is good.

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Larry Eder's Predictions,: 2006 Boston Marathon

Men
Meb Kelfezighi, United States, Hailu Negusse, Ethiopia, Benjamin Maiyo, Kenya, Alan Culpepper United States, spoiler--Kazuo Ietani, Japan

Top ten-Brian Sell, Clint Verran

Women
Reiko Tosa, Japan, Kutre Dulecha, Ethiopia, Olivera Jevtic, Serbia and Montenegro, spoiler--Bruna Genovese, Italy

Jelena Prokopcuka-Latvia, real spoiler

My picks are based on any of the following: a) rumors heard at bars over weekend, b) animal sacrifice --hey, it worked for the Greeks, c) hunches, d) emotional picks, e), never, ever underestimate Meb and Coach Larsen

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Murphy is back!
Dave Murphy is one of the true gentleman of this sport. My first experiences with Mr. Murphy were in 1976 when he ran for Nevada Reno with Domingo Tibuduiza, Eric Hulst and six other studs. The race started with the shot of a tank cannon during the half time of the Nevada Reno football game and by the time my team from Santa Clara finished, Murphy and his co horts were having a sack lunch, I believe. I did not see David again until his chasing of Orlando Pizzolato at New York in 1984.

Murph is going to Sugoi Sports, a superb producer of sports apparel to join a great team headed by Stan Mavis, president of Sugoi. We wish him and the new crew much luck and know that there will be some innovative things thrown into the sport again.

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Well, it is time for a walk. Happy Easter and see you all tomorrow from our live coverage of the BAA Boston Marathon, numero 110. (Also note, we will be live from FLORA London next week as well!).

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